Motor for bicycles



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. N. S. HOPKINS.- MOTOR FOR BIGYGLES.

Patented July 23, 1895.

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(Nb Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N. S. HOPKINS. MOTOR FOR BIGYGLES.

No. 543,094. Patented July 23, 1895.

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Attorney By I (No fiodel.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

N. s. HOPKINS. MOTOR FOR BIGYULES.

No. 543,094. Patented Jul ggg gilsss,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON S. HOPKINS, OF YVILLIAll/ISVILLE, NEW YORK.

MOTOR FOR BICYCLES.

$IECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,094, dated July 23, 1895. Application med December 12,1894. semi No. 581,558- (No model.)

To to whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, NELSON S. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Williamsville, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motors for Bicycles or other Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in motors for bicycles or other vehicles, and will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of abicycle and a similar view of my invention connected therewith. Fig.- 2 represents a vertical longitudinal section through the engine on or about line a a, Fig. 4, cutting through all parts except the valves and connecting-rods. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the engine cornplete,.showing also a portion of a bicycleframe to which it is attached and the gearwheel that'operates the bicycle-wheel. Fig. 4 represents a top plan View of the explosioncylinderand its several operative parts. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the'explosion-cylinder, showing also a similar view of its connectingrods, eccentrics, and trip-valve connections. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the upper portion of the explosion-cylinder, a portion being in section for the purpose of illustrating the trip mechanism for operating the valves. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the spur gear-wheel adapted for attachment to the driving-wheel of a bicycle. Fig. 8 represents a central section through the spur-wheel on or about line 0' c, Fig. 7, illustrating the construction of the same, as will more clearly appear farther on. Fig. 9 represents a rear elevation of the engine, certain portions being in section for the purpose of illustrating the valve-gear for admitting and regulating the material forming the explosive compound.

I have shown my engine in connection with a bicycle, for which it is particularly adapted; but it may be used for other purposes.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 and 1 represent the front and rear wheels of an ordinary bicycle. The frame is made in the usual way, and to the upper substantiallyhorizontal frame-bar 2 is secured, by fastenclosed by the cap 19.

ing-pieces 3, a reservoir 4 for holding the liquid or material forminga portion of the explosive compound. To the lower inclined frame-bar 5 is secured, by fastenings 6 or other Well-known means, a well-known sparkcoil 7, and to the vertical frame-bar 8 are socured the electric batteries 9 and 9 The engine is rigidly secured to'the two rear frame-bars l0 and 11 (see Figs. 1 and 3) by means of a portion 12, forming a part of or rigidly attached to the engine by means of screw-bolts 13, the ends of which are shown in Fig. 3, and to the portion 13. (See Fig. 9.)

The engine consists of the compression-cylinder 14 and the explosion-cylinder 15, the two being cast in one piece with a connecting portion 16 at the top; but they may be made separate and secured together in any wellknown Way.

The compression-cylinder 14 is provided with an inlet-valve 17, which opens downward and is kept up to its seat or shut by a spring 18, which is adjusted by a screw-nut 18. (See Fig. 2.) It is also provided with an inclosed vvalve 19, kept down to its seat by aspring 20. The valve 19 is covered or inv 21 represents the pipe for admitting the explosive material. It connects with the compression-cylinder and is open at'the end 22, (see Fig. 9, where this is shown,) because the air forming a part of the explosive compound is drawn ,in at that end of the pipe, as will more clearly appear farther on.

The piston 23 is made in a long cylindrical form in the usual way, (see Fig. 2,) and the connecting-rod 24 is secured by a pin 25 on the inside. As the centers of the compression and explosion cylinders are in the same place and the lower end of the connecting-rod 24:, being secured to the crank-pin 26, outside of the connecting-rod for the explosion-cylinder, a bend or offset 27 is formed in said connecting-rod. (See Figs. 2 and 5.)

The compression cylinder is connected with the explosion-cylinder by a feed-pipe 28, rigadapted to screw down into the top of the compression-cylindcr, substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

The explosion-cylinder is provided with an inlet-valve and an outlet-valve These valves are connected by devices operated by the engine when in action, as follows: The valve 32 is provided with a stem 34, which projects upward through a supporting-sleeve 35. The valve 33 is also provided with a valve-stem 36, which projects up through a supporting-sleeve 37. The supporting-sleeve 35 forms a part of the screw portion 38, by which it is secured in place, and the supporting-sleeve 37 forms a part of or is rigidly secured to the cylinder-head 39, which is provided with a screw-threaded portion 40, by which it is rigidly fastened to the cylinder.

At one side of the top of the explosive cylinder is mounted in a vertical hearing, so as to be capable of a movement up or down, a vertical bar 41, preferably made hollow or tubular, so as to be as light as possible, consistent with the required strength. To the top of the vertical bar 41 is rigidly secured an overhanging arm 42. The valve-stem 34 is provided with a screw-threaded portion which screws into the end of arm 42 and is secured by ajam-nut 43. It is thus rigidly secured to the valve-stem so that as the bar 41 is moved down the valve-stem, 34 moves with it. The valve-stem 34 is kept upward and the valve 32 to its seat or to its normal position by a spiral spring 44.

Substantially parallel with the bar 41 at the side of the explosioncylinder is another vertical bar 45, mounted in a suitable box so as to be capable of a movement up or down. This bar is provided with an overhanging arm 46, having its free end extend over, so that the upper end of the valve-stem 36, which is provided with a screw-thread, may screw into and through it, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, and it is also secured by a jam-nut 47. This arm 46 is kept up in its normal position and the valve up to its seat by a spiral spring 48. (See Figs. 2, 3, 5, and6.) The explosiomcylinder is also provided with a piston 49 similar in construction to the piston 23 in the compression-cylinder. The connectingrod 50 connecting it with the crank-pin 26 is also of similar construction as the connectingrod 24, with the exception that it is straight instead of having an oii'set 27, because it is located in the same plane and connected with the crank-pin 26 back of the point at which the connectingrod 24 is connected.

On one side of the vertical bar 41 is a depression 51, and slightly to one side of the bar 41 is a vertical bar 52, mounted in suitable bearings so that it can be moved up or down therein. To the lower end of the bar 52 is pivoted, by a pin 52, a connectingrod 53, having its opposite end provided with a screw position 54, which screws into the upper portion of the hub 55 of the eccentric-strap connected with the eccentric 56, which is rigidly secured to the frontcrank-disk 57. (See Figs. 3 and 5.) The object of the screw portion 51. is to provide the means for adjusting the vertical position of the bar 52. On the bar 52 is pivoted, by a pin 58, a trip-pawl 59, one end of which engages with the opening 51 in the side of the bar 41. As the bar 52 is moved downward the opposite end of the trip-pawl rests on top of a stationary standard 60, so that the downward movement of the bar 52 causes the trip-pawl 59 to disengage itself from the bar41 and allow the spiral spring 4-1- to force it instantly upward, and thus shut the valve 32. The vertical bar 45, which carries the overhanging arm 46 and is connected with the valve 33, is also provided with a, depression 61 on one side (see Figs. 3 and 6) and a verticallymovable bar 62, carrying a pivoted trip-pawl 63, one end of which trip-pawl engages with the depression 61 on the bar 45. The opposite end of the trip-pawl 63 is also operated the same as the trip-pawl 59, by means of a stationary standard 61-. The trippawls 59 and 63 are each prevented from turning back too far or dropping down by a pin 63, and their opposite ends are kept upward with a yielding force by a spring 64", (see Fig. 6,) where the bar 62 is shown in section, so as to show the pin 63 and spring 64, the pin and spring within the bar 52 being the same. The lower end of the bar 62 is pivoted by a pin 65 to an eccentric connecting-rod 66,connected by means of a screw-threaded portion 67 with the eccentric-strap 68. The eccentric 68 is secured rigidly to the eccentric 56. The position of the crank-shaft or main shaft is indicated by the dotted lines 69 in Figs. 3 and 5. The front crank-disk 57, rear crank-disk 57, eccentrics 56 and 68, the crank-pin 26, the driving-pinion 70, and crankshaft 69 are preferably made all in one piece, but they may be made in parts, secured together in any well-known way, if desired.

At the bottom of the valve 32 of the explosion-cylinder is a downward-projecting slip of metal 71. (See Fig. 2.) Below the valve is secured an upward-extending slip of metal 72, reduced a little on one side, so as to have a slight spring to it, the rod 72 passing through an insulating portion 72. The object of this construction is to provide a suitable means for forming and breaking an electric circuit by the raising and lowering of the valve 32. 73 represents the exhaust'pipe, and 74 the spur gear-wheel with which the pinion on the main shaft engages for driving the bicycle wheel or other wheel, (see Fig. 3,) where the spur gear-wheel is shown connected with a portion of a bicycle-wheel frame to which the engine is represented as connected. The construction of the spur gear-wheel 74 will be better understood by reference to Figs. 7 and 8, where a front elevation and a central sec tion are shown.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, 75 represents the hub upon which the gear-wheel 74 eithera shoulder on the hub 75.

turns loosely or is rigidlysecured to it by.

means of one or more tapering pieces 76. The gear-wheel is secured to this hub by a, screwthreaded ring 77, adapted to screw up against The hub is provided with an interior screw-thread 78, by which it is' secured to the hub of the wheel to be driven.

The object of the above construction is tothe wheel to be driven or to run the engine,

the pins are replaced. v The material for driving the engine (gasoline preferred) is supplied from the tank 4 (see Fig.1) and passes through the pipe 79 (see Fig. 9, where this is shown) to the starting-valve 80. The supply of material passing 7 from the tank 4 is shut off when required by astop-cock 80. (See Fig. 1.) This valve 80,

being at the back of the engine, is omittedin Figs. 2 and 3. Reference is therefore had to Fig. 9 in describing this part of the engine, where the valve-case is shown in section. valve-case 81 is secured to the connectingbrace 16 by belts in the usual and well-known way. It is provided with the tapering valve 80, having a screw-threaded portion 82, adapting itto screw into the screw-threaded opening in the case while being opened or closed, the tapering point of the valve extending down into a chamber 83, with which the feed-pipe 79'communicates. To the top of the valve 80 is connected an operating-rod 84. Fig. 1 and a portion in Fig. 9.) ,Above the chamber 83 is another small chamber 85 communicating with the outlet-pipe 86. The outlet end 87 of the pipe 86 is curved downward and is located over an opening 88 in the airinlet pipe 21, and within theinlet-pipe 21, immediately below the opening 88, is a small quantity of asbestos or other absorbent material 89, (see Fig. 9,) where the inlet-pipe 21 is shown partly in section.

The operationof the engine is as follows:.

The stop-cock and the starting-valve80 being opened, and the bicycle, forinstance,being started in the usual way, causes the motor to make several revolutions, and in doing so the gasoline (or other liquid) flows through the pipe 79 into the chamber 83 (see Fig. 9) and through the opening between the valve seat 80 and thevalve 80 into the chamber 85. It then passes through the pipe 86, from which it drops through the opening 88 into the absorbing material 89, within the pipe 21, \Vhile this operation has been going on the piston 23 has been passing downward, drawing air through the opening 2 20f the pipe 21, carrying a sufficient quantity of gasolinevapor with it to t'orm an explosive mixture past the valve 17, which isopened by the The (Shown in downward movement of the piston 23, creating a partial vacuum. This operation continues until the piston 23 reaches the limit of its downward stroke, when the valve 17 closes. The piston 23 now moves upward and opens the valve 19 and forces the explosive mix-- ture into the connecting-pipe 28 .until the piston 23 reaches the limit of its upward movement, when the valve 19 closes, thereby leaving the explosivemixture compressed within the connecting-pipe 28. The piston 23has now reached the limit of its upward movement, .while the piston 49 has reached substantially the position shown by the dotted line 90, (see Fig. 2,) when the valve 32 is opened through the action of the eccentric 56 and its connections, thereby allowing the explosive mixture to enter the explosion-chamberat the sametimethe pin7l comesin contact with the pin 72,- thereby forming an electric circuit with the batteries 9 and 9 and sparking-coil 7. (See Fig. 1.) The, piston 49 still advances upward until at the end of its upward stroke, when the trip-pawl 59 (see Fig. 6) has become disengaged from the bar 41 .by its action with the stationary pin 60. The spring 44 is now setfree and instantly closes the valve 32, and, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, breaks the electric circuit, thereby producing a spark between the pins 71 and 72, which ignites the explosive mixture and causes an explosion that forces the piston 49 to the limit of its downstroke and with sufficientforce to thus keep the motor in motion until another explosion takes place, which operation is repeated as long as the motor is in action. At the time that the piston 49 reaches the end of its downward stroke the valve 33 is opened by the action of the eccentric 68. and itconstructions heretofore described, allowing a portion of the products of combustion to pass out through the pipe 73, due to the expansion of-the gas. At the same time the piston 49 has commenced its upward movement, and thereby forces nearly all of, the remainingproducts of combustion out throughsaid outlet-pipe 73, until it reaches to or near the dotted line 91, or within a short distance from the dotted line 90, (shown in Fig. 2,) at or about ICC which point the trip-pawl 63 becomes disen gaged from the bar 45 through its action with the stationary pin 64. The electric circuit starts from the pin 72 and passes through the. wire 92 to the battery 9 and to the battery 9 by the wire 93. It passes from thence to the spark-coil 7 through wire 94, and then leavesthe spark-coil through wire 95, which conmeets with anysuitable part of the motor or motor-frame.

The compression and explosion cylinders, the brace 16, parts 12 and 13 and the part- 96, carrying a part of, the box in which the main shaft is mounted, are all preferably formed in one piece of cast-iron.

The two motor-cylinders, it will be seen, are set at an acute angle or less than a right angle with each other. This construction is important, because the connecting-rods, being connected to one crank-pin, give to the two pistons 23 and 49 a certain relative movement, which would be changed if the cylinders were set at right angles to each other, and that change would bring the action of the valvegear out of time.

It will be noticed that the two pistons 23 and 49, although they are moved by the same crank-pin, do not reach corresponding points in the two cylinders at the same time. The difference is due to the angle in which the cylinders are set to each other, and it is thus important in the construction above described.

I claim as my invention 1. In a motor for bicycles, the combination with a compression cylinder, of an explosion cylinder set at an acute angle to the compression cylinder, both cylinders being provided with a piston and the two pistons being connected by connecting rods with a single crankpin, a pipe communicating with the two cylinders, a valve held in its normal position by a spring for allowing the explosive material to be drawn into the compression cylinder by the withdrawal of the compression cylinder piston a valve kept closed by a yielding spring force, for allowing the compression cylinder piston to force the explosive material into the communicating pipe withoutpermitting it to return, a valve connected with the explosion cylinder having a metallic contact slip at the bottom, an insulated contact slip below it, means connected with an eccentric and a trip mechanism for opening said valve against the force of a closing spring, and admitting the explosive material to the explosion chamber, thereby making and breaking an electric circuit and thus causing an explosion and operating the motor substantially as described.

2. In a bicycle motor, the combination with a motor secured to a bicycle frame, of a pinion rigidly attached to the driving shaft of said motor, a spur gear wheel movably attached to the hub of the driving bicycle wheel means for keeping it on said hub while permitting it to turn freely thereon, and means consisting of removable pins for rigidly securing it to the bicycle wheel or releasing it therefrom, whereby the bicycle may be driven by the pedals independent of the motor, or by the motor instead of thepedals substantially as described.

3. In a bicycle motor, the combination with a pinion rigidly attached to the driving shaft of said motor, of a removable hub -sleeve adapted to be secured on the hub of the driving bicycle wheel, a spur gear Wheel mounted on the hub-sleeve so as to turn easily thereon while its teeth are in engagement with the teeth of said pinion without moving the bicycle wheel, and means for rigidly securing the spur wheel to the bicycle wheel or releasing it therefrom, substantially as described.

4. In a motor for bicycles, a motor frame consisting of the compression and explosive cylinders 14 and 15 connected at an angle to each other, the clamping portions 12 and 13, connecting brace 16, and the portion 96, car rying a part of the box in which the main shaft is mounted, all formed in one integral piece, substantially as described.

5. In a motor for bicycles, the combination with a compression cylinder, of an explosion cylinder set at an acute angle to the compression cylinder, both cylinders being provided with a piston and the two pistons being connected by connecting rods with a single crank pin, a pipe communicating with the two cylinders, a valve held in its normal position by a spring for allowing the explosive material to be drawn into the compression cylinder by the withdrawal of the compression cylinder piston, a valve kept closed by a yielding spring force, for allowing the compression cylinder piston to force the explosive material into the communicating pipe without permitting it to return, a valve connected with the explosion cylinder, means connected with an eccentric and a trip mechanism for opening said valve against the force of a closing spring, and admitting the explosive material to the explosion chamber, means for igniting the explosive material and thereby causing an explosion and operating the motor, substantially as described.

6. In a motor for bicycles, a trip mechanism consisting of a vertical valve bar adapted to move in a slideway at the upper end of the cylinder and having a side depression and an overhanging arm connected with the valve stem, a spring for holding said bar upward and the valve to its seat with a yielding force, a vertical pawl bar also mounted in a vertical slideway and having its lower end connected by a connecting rod with an eccentric for operating it, and a trip pawl centrally pivoted at the top of the pawl bar having one end in said side depression and the opposite end resting against a stationary bar for tripping the pawl, whereby, as the bar is drawn downward by the eccentric, the valve bar is also moved downward and opens the valve, and when the pawl bar reaches its releasing point the trip releases the valve bar and the spring reverses the motion of said bar and closes the valve, substantially as described.

' 7. In a motor for bicycles, the combination with the compression cylinder, its piston, and parts for operating it, of an inlet vaporizing pipe having an open end in which the air enters, an opening in the upper side of said pipe through which the gasoline passes to a suitable absorbing material located below said opening within the pipe, and means substantially as above described for conducting a supply of gasoline to said pipe or shutting it off, substantially as above set forth.

8. In a motor for bicycles, a curved inlet pipe for receiving air and gasoline connectedwith the compression cylinder and having its inlet end open and slightly inclined upward above the opening in the upper side through which the gasoline is admitted, and beyond said opening, an upwardly inclined portion which connects with the compression cylinder and means for conducting and admitting gasoline to said pipe, in combination with compression cylinder and its piston andoperative connections for'drawing air and Va p'orized gasoline through said pipe into the cylinder, substantially as described.

9. Ina motor for bicycles, a trip mechanism consisting of a vertical valve bar mounted in a slideway so as to be easily moved and having a connection with the valve so that when it is moved the other moves, and a depression in the side of the valve bar, in combination with a substantially vertical trip bar also mounted in a slideway and a connecting vertical trip bar also mounted in a slideway and a connecting rod connecting it with an eccentric for giving it a substantially vertical reciprocating movement, a trip pawl pivoted near the top of the trip bar having one end in the side depression of the valve bar, and the other end projecting over a stationary support, for opening or operating the valve in one direction, a spring for closing the valve after being released by the trip pawl, and a spring for keeping the pawl in its normal position, substantially as described.

NELSON S. HOPKINS. Witnesses:

JAMES SANGSTER, L; SPONG. 

